Pte. J. Howard arrived in South Africa with the 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment on the eve of hostilities. The Regiment joined the Seventh Brigade under Brigadier-General Ian Hamilton, which was part of Sir George White's Second Division based at Ladysmith. The Manchester Regt. first saw action during the unsuccessful British attack on Lombards Kop on 30thOctober 1899 (known as mournful Monday). Following this engagement White's forces retired to Ladysmith where they were besieged from 3rd November 1899, until their relief on 22nd February 1900. During this period the Manchester Regt. was positioned to the south of Ladysmith at Caesers Camp. It was while defending this position that the Boers made a full scale attack on 9th November and 6th December 1899. The Manchester Regt. repulsed both attacks, but sustained heavy casualties. On 6th January the British relief forces began to deliver their attacks on the Boer positions and the defending Manchester Regt. engaged the Boer forces at Caesars Camp. During the defence of Ladysmith the Manchesters lost 50 killed and 100 wounded.

Following the Relief of Ladysmith the 1st Manchesters joined Sir Redver Buller's final advance and were involved in the operations around Laings Nek in June 1900. The Manchesters later took part in the fighting around Belfast in August 1900. Pte. Howard together with his Regiment remained in South Africa during the Boer guerilla wars of 1901 and 1902. Altogether the casualties sustained by the 1st Manchester Regiment amounted to 80 killed and 161 wounded.

The medal pair is sold with copies of the QSA and KSA medal rolls showing Pte. J. Howard's entitlement to the medals and clasps. This is a most desirable pair of medals to a defender of Ladysmith, who saw a great deal of action.